Current fiber fed Optical Network Unit (ONU) type telecommunications systems require expensive to install and maintain power rectifiers and AC mains meter and service to power the ONU equipment. Power over Ethernet (PoE) provides single port powering over Ethernet service cables. There are yet other systems where a network element receives power and data over electrical lines from a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE). There is a desire, however, for greater management control and redundancy that is not provided by these types of systems.
This can be provided by a redundant reverse power communication system where multiple CPE devices push power up multiple service pairs to power a fiber-fed remote ONU. In such system, it is desirable to be able to discriminate the intentional power removal from a remote ONU and the removal of power at the CPE versus a failure of the remote ONU.